What does code have to do with community?

Free and Open Source Software depends upon the community who builds, creates, maintains, supports, translates, and markets it. That means any Open Source project depends upon a volunteer-based workforce.

We all recognize that our livlihoods are somewhat attributed to the ability to use Free and Open Source Software — like WordPress — so we volunteer, contribute, to give back.

What about burnout?

It’s real.

We’ve addressed it before in many ways. So let’s talk about how what a thriving community looks like.

What is a thriving community?

A thriving community realizes they can ebb and flow in and out of a project. They can contribute for months or years, take a break, maybe even mentor others, and come back — or not.

A thriving community recruits volunteers based upon inclusion, not guilt.

A thriving community isn’t burnt out or bitter.

A thriving community is healthy — physically, emotionally, and financially.

A Word About Perfection

I spent 14 years in construction accounting and my job demanded perfection. I spent hours looking for a penny if my bank reconcilation was off. Job costing had to be accurate. Contracts had to be perfect. I get it.

The problem with perfectionism is when we take a marketable skill from our career and apply it to our personal lives.

Progress is better than perfection. Done is better than perfect. Something is better than nothing.

Let’s Talk about Whole Health

Health comes in many forms: physical, emotional, and financial. And there are quite a few overlaps in these three distint areas, too.

It’s fine to talk about the abstract. In the conceptual, we all agree we should be physically, emotionally, and financially healthy. But are we?

And do we stop from iterating in our personal lives because we haven’t created the perfect meal or exercise plan, because we haven’t felt emotionally ready or because we have financial goals that haven’t been met? Maybe. But let’s take some actionalble steps toward progress.

The -er approach

Better. Faster. Thinner. Healthier. Happier. They all end in -er. This suffix communicates progress — not completion.

I’m going to talk about some of the things I’ve done in my life to be -er.

It doesn’t matter if we don’t collaborate together.

We are a community who understands iteration by collaboration. I put this on GitHub. Let’s iterate together.

Emotional Health

Emotional health is tricky and often it intertwines and weaves along with physical health.

My giant disclaimer is to follow professional medical advice.

Here are some things I’ve done to help promote my mental health.

1. Trust your soul with a friend.

I’m not a private person. So I need a team of people I trust. I call them SEAL Team 7. They know everything about me. I have to have people who I can brainstorm life choices with who will have empathy and constructive suggestions.

Opening your soul and being vulnerable takes great strength and courage. It also gives courage to your circle to do the same.

No one has it all together. That’s an urban legend.

2. If you feel pain, feel it. If you need to cry, cry.

I’m no longer suppressing my emotions, talking myself out of them, or allowing anyone else to do so.
No one can feel your pain for you. It’s okay. Cry. Wash your face. Take a nap. Get up and start the rest of your day.

3. Lexapro

After my husband passed, I was deeply thrown into grief. After time passed, it wasn’t lessening. In fact, my anxiety increased to the point that I felt like I was constantly outrunning an avalance.

I saw my doctor and she prescribed an antidepressant.

I remember clearly waking up last year on March 8 with ideas. For the first time in ten years my brain worked.

Financial Health

Financial health is also important to a thriving community.
You can’t keep giving back when you’re so broke, you’re stressed and overwhelmed.

In my career journey that ended up with me as a freelancer, this is what I’ve learned.

Let’s move forward. Together.

What is a thriving community?
A thriving community realizes they can ebb and flow in and out of a project. They can contribute for months or years, take a break, maybe even mentor others, and come back — or not.

A thriving community recruits volunteers based upon inclusion, not guilt.

A thriving community isn’t burnt out or bitter.

A thriving community is healthy — physically, emotionally, and financially.

There are no comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Please wait while you are being authenticated...

Comment

Name (required)Email (will not be published) (required)Website

Participate in this conversation via email

Please enter an e-mail address

Join this conversation via emailGet only replies to your comment, the best of the rest, as well as a daily recap of all comments on this post. No more than a few emails daily, which you can reply to/unsubscribe from directly from your inbox.